From citizenship to visitor visas: key takeaways from Canada’s October 2025 IRCC update
From citizenship to visitor visas: key takeaways from Canada’s October 2025 IRCC update
Canada’s immigration system has entered a new update cycle, with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) releasing its latest processing times as of October 1, 2025.
These changes affect citizenship, permanent residency, study permits, work permits, visitor visas, and family sponsorship applications, timelines that directly shape the plans of thousands of applicants worldwide.
Check the processing time changes across various categories:
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated Monthly) – October 1, 2025
Citizenship grant: 13 months (+2 months since last update)
Citizenship certificate: 7 months (+2 months)
Resumption of citizenship: Not enough data (no change)
Renunciation of citizenship: 10 months (no change)
Search of citizenship records: 13 months (no change)
IRCC is currently issuing Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) letters for applications submitted around July 21, 2025.
Permanent Resident (PR) Card Processing (Updated Weekly) – October 1, 2025
New PR card: 56 days (+10 days)
PR card renewal: 32 days (–1 day)
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated Monthly) – October 1, 2025
Spouse/Common-law (Outside Canada, non-Quebec): 15 months (no change)
Spouse/Common-law (Outside Canada, Quebec): 41 months (no change)
Spouse/Common-law (Inside Canada, non-Quebec): 24 months (+1 month)
Spouse/Common-law (Inside Canada, Quebec): 37 months (–1 month)
Parents/Grandparents (non-Quebec): 26 months (no change)
Parents/Grandparents (Quebec): 44 months (no change)
Canadian Passport Processing Times – October 1, 2025
In Canada, new passport (in-person, regular): 10 business days (no change)
In Canada, new passport (mail, regular): 20 business days (no change)
Urgent pick-up: End of next business day (no change)
Express pick-up: 2–9 business days (no change)
Passport mailed from outside Canada: 20 business days (no change)
Economic Class PR (Updated Monthly) – October 1, 2025
Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 6 months (+1 month)
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): 5 months (–1 month)
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): Not enough data (no change)
Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry): 7 months (–1 month)
Non-Express Entry PNP: 19 months (no change)
Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW): 11 months (no change)
Quebec Business Class: Not enough data (no change)
Federal Self-Employed: 61 months (no change)
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): 13 months (no change)
Start-Up Visa: 53 months (no change)
Visa Processing for Indians (Updated Weekly) – October 1, 2025
Visitor visas: 75 days (+2 days)
Other categories:
Visitor visa (inside Canada): 15 days (no change)
Visitor record (extension): 165 days (no change)
Super Visa Processing: 153 days (+10 days)
Study Permit Processing: 4 weeks (no change)
From inside Canada:
Study permit: 6 weeks (–1 week)
Study permit extension: 171 days (+2 days)
Work Permit Processing: 8 weeks (–1 week)
Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA):
Approval in 5 minutes in most cases.
Some cases take up to 72 hours due to additional checks.
India remains among the longest waits for visitor visas and super visas.